A group of independent Australian MPs, led by former Liberal and Labor defectors, have today announced the formation of a new centrist party called 'Together Australia'. The move mirrors the UK's recent trend of cross-party alliances, where independents have joined forces to challenge the two-party system. The party's platform focuses on regional equality, cost-of-living relief, and climate action.
Founding member Dr. Helen Wells, MP for the regional seat of Bendigo, said: 'We're tired of the same old politics that leaves working families behind. Our communities need real action on wages, housing, and healthcare, not tribalism.
' The party aims to contest the next federal election with a full slate of candidates, leveraging the grassroots network built during the pandemic-era community independents movement. Political analyst Professor Michael Cole at the University of Sydney noted: 'This isn't just a protest vote. This is a structural shift.
Voters in regional and outer-suburban seats feel ignored by both major parties, and this new party speaks directly to that sense of abandonment.' The launch comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that real wage growth has stagnated for the third consecutive year, with median household incomes falling behind inflation. The party's first policy promise is to lift the minimum wage by 15 per cent and index it to the cost of living.
Union leaders have cautiously welcomed the announcement, with ACTU Secretary Sally McManus urging the party to 'walk the walk on workers' rights'. However, critics on the left fear the centrist approach could dilute progressive policy, while conservative opponents dismiss it as 'a coalition of the irrelevant'. The party will hold its first national conference in Adelaide next month to finalise its constitution and candidate selection process.
